


Together We're Golden

by nickelkeep



Series: Nickel's Story Time Series [39]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bad Parent John Winchester, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Curses, De-Aged Sam Winchester, Domestic, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Domestication, Everyone Thinks They're Together, Idiots in Love, Kid Fic, Kid Sam Winchester, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Witches, sam winchester is a good brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23412517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickelkeep/pseuds/nickelkeep
Summary: When a hunt gone wrong leaves Sam as a toddler, Dean easily slips back into caretaker mode. He's raised Sam once, he can take care of him again until Rowena arrives to undo the spell. However, what Dean doesn't expect is Cas' willingness to help take care of Sam. Watching Cas, seeing a side of the angel he's never seen before, leaves Dean pining more than ever before.Once Sam is back to his normal size and age, will things go back to the way they were, or will Dean take a leap of faith?
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Nickel's Story Time Series [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1431565
Comments: 35
Kudos: 469





	Together We're Golden

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, my Wayward Lovelies! Week 39! We're getting closer to that one year mark! I'm totally freaking out!
> 
> This week is a fic idea I've been sitting on for a while, and I finally got to go with it! While not my first kid fic, this one is the first canonverse one! I hope you all enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoyed telling it!  
> Also, before I forget, there is a small quote - Cas is reading from Edith Hamilton's Mythology, telling the story of Ceyx and Alcyone.  
> ...  
> Just a reminder, next week will be the wrap-up fic for the Leviathan trilogy!  
> ...  
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://nickelkeep.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nickelwrites).

Witches. It was always fucking witches. Dean knew as well as anyone that not all witches were bad. The natural-born ones? They were usually cool. They often weren't power-hungry, cause they already had their magic. But those who made deals with demons? They were assholes, one-hundred percent.

And of course, the case Sam found? One of those. It had started simple, putting a pox on the competition for a promotion at work. Then they won a vast sweepstake. But, as it always inevitably does with those who got their magic from demons, things went South. Someone was nosy, a hunter went in, and boom. A dead body that the coroner was trying to explain.

And it was why Dean was cavorting around an abandoned warehouse, Sam and Cas somewhere in there as well, looking for the bastard... bastardess? Whatever this witch was, they were a bitch, and Dean had the witch-killing bullets to stop them from causing more harm.

As he rounded the corner, listening quietly for the sounds of anyone. Sam's moose-length gait was distinguishable anywhere, and even if Cas could sneak up on him, Dean could recognize the sound of the rubber heels hitting upon the linoleum in a distinct pattern.

He closed his eyes for a moment and made out the sound of Sam's footfall, the pause between each step due to the length of his legs. But before Dean could signal to his brother, the sound he had been waiting for occurred: the fast clip-clop of kitten heels, most likely sneaking up on Sam.

Dean jumped out from behind his cover and saw the witch sneaking up behind Sam. His movement caught Sam's attention, and Dean called to him as he raised his gun. "Get down!"

Sam ducked, just as the witch cried out. "Abi!" Dean took the brunt of the spell, as Sam unknowingly dodged it, and flew back, hitting a wall as he landed. Sam was knocked to his knees, and his gun skittered across the floor.

"Sammy! Move!" Dean cried to his brother as he tried to make his vision stop swimming.

"How cute. More hunters." The witch moved up to Sam, stepping on the back of his knee and pinning him in place. She placed her hand on his back and started to chant. "Adulta est tibi puer et vade."

Sam started to glow, and Dean shook his head, his vision still floating. Dean felt powerless as he tried to aim at the witch when she suddenly started to glow herself, golden rays of light emitting from her eyes.

Cas.

Her mouth opened in a soundless scream, more light pouring from her mouth as she collapsed to the ground. Cas quickly stepped over and moved to check on Sam.

"Cas!?" Dean pushed himself to a sitting position, cursing the hallway spinning around him. "Cas, is Sam okay?"

A small pathetic whimper was Dean's reply as Cas bent down and picked up a little boy into his arms. Dean's jaw dropped. It had easily been years since he'd seen that haircut, or that size for that matter, but there was no doubt. Cas had picked up a child Sam and was holding him in his arms.

"Sammy?" Dean pushed himself up to a kneeling position as Cas brought Sam closer, the young version clinging tightly to the angel.

"De!" Sammy whimpered into Cas' chest. He hid his face as Cas crouched down.

"Sam, can you please go to Dean, while I check on him, please?" Cas asked, his voice soft and calming. "Dean wants to know you're okay." Cas waited until Sam's feet were on the floor and let him go.

"De!" Sam ran from Cas' arms to Dean's, hugging him tightly. "De, scared."

"I know, Sammy. I know." Dean squeezed Sam gently as Cas pressed two fingers against his temple, relieving him of the concussion he got from the witch's blast. "Are you hurt? Does Cas need to heal anything?"

Sam shook his head against Dean's chest. "No."

"No, because you don't hurt, or no because Cas is scary?" Dean was fully aware of the bitchface Cas shot him at that comment.

"No owwie." Sam looked up at Cas, his big hazel eyes wet with tears. "Cas good."

"Of course Cas is good, Sammy." Dean looked at his brother, trying to hide his disbelief in seeing a toddler Sam again. "Cas is our friend, right?"

"Best friend!" Sam giggled through his tears, then pointed at Dean. "Boyfriend!"

Dean sputtered at Sam's exclamation before staring up at Cas. "Kids say the damnedest things, don't they?" He stood up and looked down at Sam, who was barely covered by the moose-sized shirt. "I know you just used your mojo on me, Buddy, but do you think you can do something about Sam's clothes? We need to get out of here, and we don't need Sam running around like this."

Cas smirked - why, Dean had no clue - and nodded. He walked back to where Sam had been cursed and grabbed the rest of the clothes. He handed them to Dean. "Put them on the ground the best you can, have him stand in them, and I'll shrink them to size."

"You're a genius, Cas." He adjusted Sam's clothes, and put a very squirmy Sam into them. "While I can hold him still, please."

Cas aimed his palm at Sam, and Dean watched in awe as the clothes shrunk to fit Sam. Even the shoes that had looked ridiculous on such a tiny body shrunk to fit Sam. "How you feel, Sammy?"

"Wanna go."

"Then we're gonna go." Dean held his arms down to Sam, offering to pick him up.

"CAS!" Sam pointed at the angel then ran over to him, reaching up to be lifted.

Cas shot a look at Dean, and while Dean couldn't clearly read it, he ventured to guess it was a look of concern. "Sammy trusts you, dude. If you want to pick him up, it's cool." Dean suppressed a laugh as Cas let out a sigh and bent down to pick up Sam. "Don't look like such a grump ass, Cas. How often will you ever say you got to pick up Sam?"

"I can pick him up at his regular size, Dean. I'm an angel." Cas commented, annoyance and sass clear in tone.

Dean pulled out his phone and snapped a picture. "Yeah, well, you don't get to do this every day."

"What was that for?" Cas squinted at Dean.

"I'm sending it to Rowena." Dean chuckled as Sam's head lifted up in surprise. "Sammy was hit by a spell, you killed the witch, the spell didn't lift. Means we're going to need another witch." Dean nodded towards the door and started moving as his phone rang. "Well, that didn't take long."

"Dean, did you and the angel adopt? I didn't realize hunters and the supernatural could go through that process." Rowena quipped as he answered the phone.

They approached the exit, and Dean pushed the door open, holding it for Cas. "You're so funny, Rowena. That's Sam." There was a long pause and Dean pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure that the call hadn't dropped. "Rowena?"

"I'm here, Dean. I was looking at the picture again, trying to figure out how something so small got so big." Rowena replied, and Dean couldn't help but laugh in agreement. "What happened to the giant?"

"We were tracking a witch, and she got the drop on him. Cas offed her, but not before she finished the incantation."

"I see. Such a dear, wee boy. Appears he was always a cutie."

Dean rolled his eyes as he sped up to move ahead of Cas, opening the rear passenger to Baby for him. "Yeah, heartthrob, nerd, all of it since a young age. Can you help?"

"Aye, I am the best. I can meet at the bunker in about five hours, maybe less. Need to get the things that may be necessary to help me reverse the spell."

"Thank you, Rowena. I know you don't have to do this, but we appreciate it."

Rowena laughed. "Aye, but 'tis nice to be owed a favor from a Winchester. Later, Dearie." The phone disconnected with a beep and Dean let out a sigh, wondering what kind of deal he had unknowingly made with the witch.

His attention drifted back to Cas and Sam, the latter still cling to the former, not willing to be separated. "You okay sitting in the back with Sam? If not, I'll be the bad cop."

"This is fine, Dean. Since we don't have a car seat, me sitting with him is for the best."

Dean nodded and closed the door for Cas, making sure to not catch the trench coat in the jamb. He took a look around and quickly moved to the driver's side, sliding in and pulling his door shut behind him. "Let's get going." Dean stole a glance at the backseat, watching as Cas took care to use the lap belt to secure Sam comfortably.

Dean started the Impala and pulled away, swallowing down the warm feeling that was threatening to swell in his chest. Sam had practically been his kid, despite there being less than a four-year age difference between them. Watching someone else - watching Cas - give that same TLC, the same comfort to Sam that he had done all those years ago was threatening to melt the layer of ice he put up as a barrier.

"De!" Sam called up, pulling Dean's eyes to the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, Sammy?"

Sam snuggled into Cas and smiled. "Hungy?"

"Hungry, dude." Dean replied, emphasizing on the gre sound. "You need something to eat, Sammy?"

"Yes!"

Dean stole a glance at Cas, who merely shrugged in return. "You did just go through a heck of an ordeal, huh? Let's get out of this town, and we'll stop at the next one, okay?"

"K!" Sam replied excitedly before looking up at Cas. "Hungy?"

"It appears you don't remember. I don't eat, Sam. But we'll make sure you get something good, okay?"

"De!" Dean looked back in the rearview and saw Sam pointing at him, but talking to Cas.

"Your brother will eat too, I'll make sure." Dean felt a blush rise up at that comment and forced his focus back on the road ahead of him.

Sam's voice dropped to a whisper. "De, yours."

Dean swore he heard a noise of surprise from Cas, but refused to look, feeling it better to pretend he didn't hear anything.

"Your brother doesn't belong to anyone, Sam. Least of all me. Rest, we'll be there soon."

Dean frowned. He'd never admit it aloud, but boy, Cas was wrong. So very wrong.

A half-hour later, and no less than fifty questions from Sam to Cas later, Dean pulled up in front of a diner. "Still hungry, Sammy?"

"Pancakes!" Sam squealed happily, grabbing Cas' hand to help him with the seatbelt.

"Dude, Cas, we never let him live this down." Dean looked over the backseat and smiled at Cas.

"Which part, Dean? The part where he's being cute, or the part where I know you're going to let him overeat breakfast foods?" Cas raised an eyebrow as he undid Sam's seatbelt.

"He's known his whole life how cute he is. Always used it to his damn advantage." Dean shook his head. "Hell, our old man used it to his advantage." He climbed out of the car and met Cas' eyes over Baby's roof. "He got us so much free shit. Lunches, dinners. Hell, one time, he got us a hotel room for two nights."

"I'm sure you could have done the same, Dean." Cas looked down at Sam and shushed him, as he was trying to rat Dean out for saying shit. "Yes, Dean said a bad word. Dean says a lot of bad words."

"Hey!" Dean called out at Cas as he took Sam's hand and headed into the diner. "I'm not that bad." He grumbled to himself as he followed in behind them.

Cas was already talking to a waitress, asking for a booster seat for Sam as Dean walked in. She led them back to a more secluded booth, handing the booster to Dean and winking at him as she walked away.

"Sam, go sit with Dean, please." Cas gently pushed Sam between the shoulder blades, and toddler Sam ran and hugged Dean's leg. 

Dean couldn't help but smile, and he sat the seat down before assisting Sam to climb into it. Once he sat down himself, he looked across the table at Cas. "You know, I swear, I don't remember him being this talkative when he was younger."

"I think I may know why." Cas watched Sam carefully. "I'm fairly certain the spell reverted him to about two or three, but he still has all his memories, his knowledge is intact. Just at that age, he can't use them fully." He smiled at Sam. "He's an overly smart toddler."

A few moments later, a waitress introducing herself as Maggie walked up to their booth. "Well aren't you just the cutest! Having fun with your dads, kiddo?"

Dean looked up and saw the surprised look on Cas' face. It wasn't often the angel was caught unawares, and, despite the context, Dean was relishing in it. "Yeah, he was taking a nap, this is his first big road trip. He woke up and said he was hungry. Figured we could use a pitstop too." Dean bit his bottom lip, holding back a grunt as Cas kicked him in the shin.

"Aww, how sweet!" She pulled out her receipt pad and smiled at Sam. "What's your name, cutie?"

"Sammy!" He responded with a broad smile then pointed at Cas. "Cas!" Sam turned and pointed at Dean. "De!"

"Sounds like you're getting good at using your words, little guy!" Maggie scrunched up her nose playfully and waved with her finger. She turned to Cas. "What can I get you?"

"Just a coffee, black." Cas nodded, gesturing to Dean. "He'll order too much, per the normal."

"Dude, Cas. Rude." Dean looked at Maggie and smiled. "I saw you guys do pancakes with marshmallow fluff?" When Maggie nodded, he continued. "Can I get a short stack of those for my short stack here with some orange juice, I'll have the breakfast platter, scramble the eggs please."

"And to drink?" Maggie took the menus from Cas and Dean.

"Coffee, black."

Maggie finished writing and nodded. "You got it. It'll be up in a few." 

Dean leaned back in the booth, waiting for the inevitable comment from Cas.

"Why didn't you correct her?"

There it was. "'Cause as happy and healthy as Sam looks, it's going to sound a little strange if we're anyone other than his dads." Dean threw back, neglecting to mention that he didn't mind the temporary mislabel. "Besides, Sammy didn't blow our cover at all, either. Like you said, he's a smart cookie."

"While that makes sense, Sam is not actually a child." Cas huffed as he sat back in his seat.

"Don't be like that, Cas." Dean nodded at Maggie as she brought them their drinks. He jabbed a straw into Sam's cup and slid it to him, almost laughing as he watched Sam try to remember how to use a straw. "Besides, you're good with him."

"It's Sam." Cas retorted.

Dean shook his head. "It's toddler Sam and completely different." He held his hand over his mug before lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. "Despite how you know Sam now, that's not how he was when he was a kid."

"That was almost thirty years ago, Dean. Do you remember it clearly?" Cas raised his eyebrow.

"I raised him, Cas. I remember his first word, his first sentence. I remember his first hair cut that I botched, cause the old man couldn't be bothered to take us to get it cut." Dean sighed angrily, upset that Cas would doubt him. "I'm the one who took him from crawling to walking to running."

"Dean, I–" Cas was interrupted by Maggie returning with Dean and Sam's food. Once she left after asking if everything was okay, Cas let out his own sigh and dragged his hand down his face. "I'm sorry, Dean. You're right."

"I know I am, and I know you're doing a good job with him." Dean finished cutting up Sam's pancakes and handed the fork to his younger brother. "If you can't finish them, Sam, don't force it. I'll get you a box."

Sam cooed happily and shoved a piece of pancake into his mouth. Dean found that he couldn't help himself and pulled out his phone, taking a picture of Sam.

"He's going to kill you." Cas commented before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Worth it." Dean looked at Cas and winked as he took another picture of Sam. "I'll get this one made into a pillow, and we can throw it on a chair in the library."

"I'm not going to hell to retrieve your soul again when he does." Cas shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You're no fun, Cas." Dean pouted before putting his phone away.

A couple cups of coffee, several wet naps, and a box later, Sam was yawning loudly in his booster seat, barely able to stay upright. Maggie came by with the check, dropping it off and making sure to remind Sam how cute he was.

Dean tossed the keys to the Impala to Cas before standing up and picking Sam up. He carefully passed Sam over to Cas, his heart pounding a mile a minute as Sam snuggled against Cas. "Get him comfy. I'll be out in a minute after I pay this." Dean tried to tear his eyes away from Cas as he walked away, but it wasn't until Cas exited the diner that he found himself able to move.

He walked up to the register where Maggie was leaning, talking to the cashier. She stood up as Dean approached and smiled at him. "Thank you guys for stopping this evening. You all really made our night."

"We what?" Dean felt his face twist into a confused look.

"First, Sammy is adorable. He's so sweet, so well-behaved, and he clearly loves his daddies." The cashier next to Maggie nodded. "And then, watching you and your husband? We've seen a lot of couples and families come in, but the love between you two?" She looked at the cashier, and placed her hand on her heart. "You two gave us all a slice of happiness tonight."

"Uh, thanks. I think." Dean took his card back from the cashier and nodded.

"If you're ever in the area, stop on in again!" Maggie called after him as he walked towards the exit.

Dean crossed to Baby and slid into the driver seat. He stole a glance to his right, his heart beating a tattoo as he realized that Cas wasn't wearing his trench coat. Surprised, he looked in the back seat and saw Sam curled up under it, softly snoring.

"Don't worry, he still has the lap belt on, but he couldn't stay upright. I was afraid that I would move too much and keep him awake." Cas offered, pulling Dean's attention back to him. "I think he should sleep until we get back to the bunker."

Dean swallowed hard and nodded his acknowledgment as he got Baby back on the road

Afraid to wake Sam, Dean left the radio off. The silence was thick in the car, and it made him uncomfortable. It also didn't help that at some point, Cas had slid out of his suit jacket. He had it folded on the seat between them, and it kept drawing Dean's attention.

Desperate for noise, desperate for an escape to not think about the practically naked Castiel next to him, Dean thought of something to do to break the silence.

"You know, Cas. I know I said it earlier, but you _are_ really good with Sam." Dean stole a quick glance at the angel, and instantly regretted it, noticing the pushed-up sleeves.

"And as I responded earlier, it's Sam. He's not an actual child." The timber of Cas' voice sent a child down Dean's spine. "If he were an actual child, he would probably not respond as well to me."

"You're selling yourself short, Cas." Dean deflected. "I mean, yeah, we're pretty sure Sam's still adult Sam in there, but he's still a toddler. He's still little. You're responding well to that."

"Oh." Cas replied quietly. Silence filled the car again, until Cas asked his own question. "Did you ever want a child, Dean?"

"Had one." Dean muttered. "Didn't get to know her, though."

"When was this?" Cas asked, and Dean turned to look at Cas, registering the surprise on the angel's face.

"It was, uh..." Dean looked back towards the road. "It was while you were Emmanuel." Dean shot his tongue out between his lips and licked. He didn't like to think of that time without Cas, and he wasn't sure how to phrase what had happened. "Sam and I had a case where men were dying with this odd symbol carved into them. We rolled into town, I hit up the one place they all had in common, and I met a woman named Lydia."

Silence came from Cas' side of the car, and Dean continued. "I was kinda heavy into the bottle during that time, and before I knew it, she took me home. Turned out, she was our monster of the week."

"You slept with a creature?" Dean didn't have to look at Cas to hear the confusion in his voice.

"I didn't know, okay? Turned out she was an Amazon. Over the course of a couple of days, she had Emma and Emma grew to a teenager." Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Due to some rite of passage, Emma was told to come and kill me. Sam killed her, partially to protect me and partially in revenge."

"Sam killed in revenge?"

"I killed a prior girlfriend of his. Sam's got a thing for creatures. Demons, Werewolves, Kitsune... Oh my." Dean shook his head. "Part of me knows that Emma was going to kill me. But the other part? Well, I regret not getting that chance to actually find out."

Cas' hand rested on Dean's shoulder, and a flush colored his cheeks. "For what it's worth, Dean. Knowing that you raised Sam, and seeing how you are with him now? I think you would be a wonderful father."

"This life ain't for a kid, Cas. You know that. Hell, I had you erase Lisa and Ben's memories, so they wouldn't remember anything about the supernatural." Dean felt a heat building behind his eyes, and he took in a deep breath to keep the tears at bay.

"If you found the right person Dean, would you stop hunting and settle down?" Cas' hand slipped off Dean's shoulder, and Dean found himself craving its return. "I know you tried with Lisa, but she wasn't right for you."

"Cas, this is the only life I know." Dean shook his head. "The old man made it so I'd be his good little soldier. I don't know any other way."

"That's a lie, Dean. John may have kept you from being a child, he may have thrust too many responsibilities on you for someone so young. He did a lot wrong by you, and I'm sorry. But you are ten times the man that he ever was, and by knowing your childhood and what he did wrong. You would turn it around to be the best father you could be."

Dean cast a glance over to Cas, to find him pointedly staring out the window. Dean let his shoulder drop and focused on getting them home.

Another hour of uncomfortable silence later, Dean pulled up into the bunker's garage. As he cut Baby's engine, Sam started to stir in the backseat. Cas quickly got out of the car and made a point of getting to Sam, pulling the toddler into his arms and carrying him into the bunker. Dean had barely gotten out himself, to find that Cas had left him in the dust.

"Go figure." Dean muttered to himself. He moved to the trunk, popping it open and grabbing out his duffel bag. He also grabbed Sam's before closing the trunk and heading in to drop things off.

Dean stopped by his room first, dropping off his bag before making the trip to Sam's. The door was already open, and he could hear Sam talking to Cas.

"De?" 

"Dean will be here in a moment. I'm sure he stopped to get your things out of the car." Dean peeked in to see Cas sitting on the edge of the bed, Sam leaning against him.

"Tank you, Cas." Sam tried his best to wrap his arms around Cas in a hug. It caught Cas off guard, and Dean thought it was cute how Cas tried to figure out where to rest his hands to hug Sam in return. "Cas, read?"

"You want me to read to you?" Cas questioned.

Dean chose that moment to come in and rescue the angel. "Okay, Sammy. I brought your bag in. You really shouldn't play with the things in here, so I'm going to put it in your closet so you can't get it."

"De!" Sam hopped off the bed and ran to Dean wrapping his arms around Dean's leg again. "Tank you!"

Dean squatted down next to Sam, pulling him off of his leg. "How are you feeling, Sam?"

"Cas read, peas!" Sam pointed at Cas before crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

"You want Cas to read to you?" Dean looked over at Cas, who was sitting nervously on Sam's bed. "You might have to ask him really nicely. I heard he likes warm hugs."

Sam nodded and ran back to Cas, stealing his hand. "Cas read!"

"Traitor." Cas whispered at Dean before looking at Sam. "Let's go find a book." He took Sam's hand and led him to the library.

Dean watched as Cas walked away with Sam before pulling out his cell. He quickly swiped through his contacts before pressing the call button.

"Dean." Rowena answered on the first ring. "I'm en route. How's the wee Samuel?"

"Same as he was when he was actually three." Dean let out a sigh. "You got an ETA for me?"

"Ah, yes. About three hours? Had a bit of an issue involving the procuring of Lamia scale." Rowena hummed over the phone. "The last few items I may need are ubiquitous, and I'm sure I can locate them in yer inventory."

"Alright, we'll see you soon then. Just call when you're here so I can let you in." Dean hung up the phone and headed to the library to check on Sam and Cas. He quietly walked down the hallway, stop as he reached the entrance. Dean smiled as he found Cas sitting in one of the comfier chairs with Sam curled up in his lap.

Cas looked up briefly, barely acknowledging Dean's presence before returning to the story he was reading to Sam. _"Ceyx was deeply moved, for she loved him no better than he loved her, but his purpose held fast. He felt that he must get counsel from the oracle, and he would not hear of her sharing the perils of the voyage. She had to yield and let him go alone. Her heart was so heavy when she bade him farewell it was as if she foresaw what was to come. She waited on the shore watching the ship until it sailed out of sight."_

"Are you seriously reading Ovid to a toddler, Cas?" Dean leaned against the doorway.

"Edith Hamilton's version, but yes." Cas held up the book. "I remember Sam enjoying Greek and Roman mythology."

"He does. But that might be a little above his reading level at the moment." Dean winked at Cas. "Sammy, want to watch cartoons?"

Sam squirmed out of Cas' lap and ran to Dean. "De, up!"

"I'm getting too old for this." Dean picked up Sam and rested him on his hip. "You coming, Cas?"

Cas set the book on the table next to him and stood up, following after Dean. They walked to the kitchen, where Dean set Sam up on one of the seats. "Stay here, Sammy." 

Dean ran to his room and grabbed his laptop, checking its charge before heading back to the kitchen. Cas had taken a seat next to Sam, who had started babbling to Cas again. He set his laptop down in front of Sam, opening it to Netflix. "Cas, help him find something to watch? I'm going to make Sammy some grilled cheese for dinner."

Sam's eyes lit up at the mention of grilled cheese, and Dean winced slightly as Sam's gibberish picked back up, louder and faster. He headed over to the fridge and started grabbing out the things he needed. Before long, he heard the sounds of Planet Earth starting, and he turned and looked back at Cas.

"Do not look at me like that, Dean." Cas pointed at Sam. "This was his choice."

"I'm watching you, Cas." Dean pointed back, using the stick of butter in his hand. "I know you and your wily ways."

"Yes, because I'm going to corrupt Sam by letting him watch a show about the forces of nature." Cas sassed in return.

Dean started to reply, but was interrupted by Sam. "Cas! Frog!" Dean shook his head. Yeah, Sam had picked that out himself.

A few minutes later and a plate stacked with grilled cheese in hand, Dean joined Sam and Cas at the table. Cas pulled the laptop back so cheesy fingers - from Sam or Dean - wouldn't get all over it. Together, they ate contently, enjoying the episode that Sam had picked to watch. Once the plate was cleared of all the sandwiches, Cas paused the show. He offered to clean up the dishes while Dean helped Sam wash his face and hands.

Despite it being Sam, a brief thought of having this kind of moment with his own child entered Dean's thoughts. His mind wandered more: sitting at a table with them, eating dinner with them, even helping them with their homework.

Then Dean thought of the child, curled up on Cas' lap, enjoying a story. He thought of him and Cas, tucking their child into bed at night. Dean tried to push that thought out of mind, afraid of lingering on what he thought he couldn't have.

As Dean shooed Sam back into the kitchen and over to Cas, his phone went off. He pulled it out of his pocket and breathed out a silent relief. "Rowena. You're here?"

"Yes, Dean. Come be a dear as promised?" She hung up with a beep, and Dean made his way up to the main entrance. He swung the door wide open. "Ello, Dean." Rowena sashayed past him and entered the bunker. "Where is our wee Samuel?"

"Unless they moved, I left him and Cas in the kitchen." Dean gestured, letting Rowena go first.

"Enjoying a little family time with yer angel?" Rowena looked over her shoulder as she walked down the stairs. "Having a wee taste of what ye think ye cannae have?"

Dean didn't acknowledge her, not trusting his voice to betray how right she was.

"Weena!" Sam jumped out of his chair and ran to Rowena and hugged her leg as she entered the kitchen.

"Can we keep him like this?" Rowena looked at Cas before looking at Dean who walked up next to her. "I know ye've been with him since this happened, but he's so dear." She bent down and booped Sam on the nose, earning a giggle. "And I dun need to look up to him!"

"I don't think a couple more minutes will hurt." Dean shook his head before looking at Cas. "I told you, Sam has always had a way with the ladies."

"So I see, Dean." Cas frowned. "But I do think it's time to make him an adult again. I don't know how much damage there is from the spell."

Sam froze at Cas' comment before bolting from Rowena and clinging to Dean. "No, De! No!"

"Heya, Sammy. What's wrong?" Dean crouched down, and found Sam's arms around his neck, briefly choking him.

"Big is owie." Sam hid his face in Dean's neck, and Dean slowly stood up, holding his little brother in his arms. "Sammy small."

"You wanna stay small, Sammy?" Dean asked, his heart melting for the umpteenth time in 24 hours when Sam nodded into his neck. "But don't you miss being big like me and Cas?" Sam shook his head no.

"Sam," Cas crossed over and rubbed Sam's back. "Do you think being big will be scary?"

Sam pulled back from Dean's neck and looked at Cas and nodded. 

"Can I ask what's scary?" Cas continued rubbing the little circles on Sam's back, and Dean had never been more grateful for the angel in his life.

Sam looked like he was deep in thought before he pointed at Cas, then pointed at Dean.

"Me and Cas are scary when you're big?" Dean asked, confused as to why they would be scary when he would be larger than both of them.

"No!" Sam rested his forehead on Dean's shoulder, and Dean could feel his little brother getting frustrated.

"Hey. Hey, Sammy." Dean gently bounced Sam in his arms. "Is it hard not being able to use your words?"

Sam nodded, then pointed at Dean. "Love." Sam pointed at Cas. "Love." He finally pointed at himself. "Love!"

"Sammy, you're my little brother, you know I love you." Dean looked at Cas. "And Cas? He's family. He loves you too." Dean smiled when Cas nodded in agreement. "That's not going to change when you're big again. I promise." Dean turned to Rowena and gestured with his head to come over. "If you go with Rowena, she's going to take good care of you, and when you're back? Me and Cas will prove that nothing's changed."

"No! No, no!" Sam cried out, despite reaching for Rowena. "Weena!"

"Sweet Samuel. I know what you mean. I'm sorry that they're dense." Sam sniffled and hiccoughed into Rowena's shoulder. "Boys, Samuel wants ye both to talk. Why dun ye get comfy in the library, he and I will go to the infirmary? I'll get him right back to his full size." She rested Sam on her hip. "Even though he's adorable like this. I'm half tempted to follow his wishes." Rowena started exiting the kitchen. "Castiel, Dean. Talk."

Dean dragged his hand down his face and followed Rowena out of the kitchen, turning towards the library with Cas behind him. He headed over to the chairs, leaving the one Cas had cuddled up with Sam in earlier, and taking the one next to it. Cas took his original seat and picked up the book he had left on the table.

"Still can't believe you picked one of Ovid's stories to read to a toddler." Dean pointed at the book.

"I read him a love story."

Dean tilted his head to the side in acknowledgment. "I guess that's true."

"You know, Dean. I was thinking." Cas leafed through the book. "About our conversations earlier. How you said that I was good with Sam."

"Realize that I was telling the truth and going to admit it?" Dean turned in the chair and leaned against the arm to get a better look at Cas. "You came right over and started comforting him. You knew exactly what to do, Cas. You didn't even second guess yourself."

"There have been times over the past few years where I've interacted with children. You remember how I was with Nora's baby. I needed you to help me." Cas paused and set the book down. "There were other times where I just moved on instinct."

"Pretty sure that's how most adults are when it comes to kids, Cas."

"What I'm trying to say, is that I enjoyed being Sam's parent for a little bit, even if he was never really my child, and I was never really his parent." Cas frowned. "I have enjoyed co-parenting with you."

"With me?" Dean's heart raced. He bit his tongue, afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Cas nodded. "I believe you would be an amazing father, Dean. I see the man that Sam has turned out to be, and I see how you've been with him today. I want you to find the right person to be that parent with."

"You think I did that?" Dean closed his eyes and swallowed. Images of growing up with Sam flashed through his memories. Teaching Sam to read. Helping him learn how to ride a bike. Helping him with his first heartbreak. "I only did what I wanted my father to do."

"And like I said before, Dean. You know what you missed out on, and you wouldn't want to do that to your child." Cas stood up and offered his hand down.

Dean hesitantly took Cas' hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He took a deep breath. "Cas, I don't have to find someone I'd want that with."

"Oh." Cas frowned. "I figured you wouldn't want to do it alone. But I guess you would have Sam to help. And Rowena appears to be fond of children. Jody would also help, I'm sure, as would Donna. You have a–"

Dean leaned in and kissed Cas, silencing him. It was soft, it was sweet, and Dean hoped that it would deliver his message to Cas. He pulled back, afraid to look in Cas' eyes, afraid to see if he made the biggest mistake in his life. Dean's breath hitched as he felt Cas' finger hook under his chin, lifting it, so their eyes met.

Cas leaned in, his hand moving from Dean's chin to gently cup Dean's cheek. He reclaimed Dean's lips returning the message with his own soft and sweet devotion.

"Ewww. My dads are kissing." Sam's voice whipped through the library, startling Cas and Dean, causing them to pull back abruptly. "I didn't think you got the message."

"I needed to translate for ye. Who knows how long these two would have danced around one another." Rowena stood next to Sam smugly, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Your message?" Dean inquired. "The only tantrum you gave us all day?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. Cas nailed it pretty early on. I had all my knowledge up here, but the capacity of a toddler can't process all that. The brain isn't developed enough." He pointed at Dean. "Also, delete the damn picture of me eating those pancakes."

"No can do." Dean snaked his arm around Cas waist and pulled him closer. "So the message, before marshmallow brain distracted you?"

"You two have always danced around each other. You both thought that no one knew what you were hiding from each other. Dean, I know you aren't exactly out of the closet, but let's face it, you look at Cas like he hung the moon. Cas looks at you the same way." Sam shook his head. "You two had no qualms about showing that affection, about being domestic when you both had to take care of me. I would have stayed a child if it meant you two stayed like that."

"Why, Sam?" Cas tilted his head in confusion.

Sam pointed at Dean. "He said things wouldn't change when I was big again. My mind processed that as you two going back to the way things were." He smiled softly and shook his head. "Dean's taken care of me all of our lives. It's my turn to make sure he's taken care of. I know you can do that, Cas."

"Aye, his little heart was breaking." Rowena confirmed. "I had to promise him that I'd remind him to talk to ye two when he was an adult again. It appears he didnae have to."

Cas looked at Dean. "So when you say that you wouldn't need to find someone..."

"I meant you, Cas." Dean rested their foreheads together. "It was always you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Are you into Destiel? Do you use Discord? Are you over the age of 18? Looking for a cool group of people to hang out with? Come join the writers, artists, and other amazing Destiel fans on the [Profound Bond Discord Server](https://discord.gg/profoundbond).


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